TLFG: 13-19 May 2013

Hello there and welcome back to TLFG after our Bank Holiday break.

It's been a busy old couple of weeks at TLFG Towers with preparations for this year's Non-League Day starting to hot up. It's been meetings all the way as potential partners and web designers get involved.

Next Sunday 19 May we've got a general planning meeting/brainstorm in central London so if you want to help out let me know. It starts at 630pm so you'll be able to get your Premier League final-day fix before coming along.

In other news, thanks must go to Sam Borden at the New York Times for quoting me and linking through to this blog in a piece he wrote last week. As a result I've had lots of new readers who I hope have found this useful and will visit again.

Don't be put off by the lack of action at the moment though, football in London always winds down now for the summer.

Usually I shut down completely over June which is usually the month which is totally devoid of action. However, that's not the case this year as it's been announced that Fulham's Craven Cottage ground will host a triangular football tournament between Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Yes you read that right - football not cricket. Tickets start at £15 and if the atmosphere at cricket matches between these countries can be replicated then it should be quite an experience.

UPDATE (16/5/13): Sadly all three of the above international matches at Craven Cottage have been cancelled. 

Last Saturday I finally managed to get to Loftus Road after a four-month hiatus. Already relegated QPR faced Arsenal who were and are still fully in the hunt for a Champions League place.

With just a few seconds played, Theo Walcott scored for the Gunners and I thought a rout would follow. To Rangers' credit they stuck at it and there were no further goals.

Andros Townsend sends a free-kick narrowly wide for QPR

The most telling thing for me all afternoon was the way the Arsenal fans celebrated their win with such joy when really there wasn't a lot to be happy about - their performance against a very poor team wasn't much better and I doubt they'll be troubling the engravers anytime soon if they go on like that.

Nonetheless I have a bit of soft spot for the club from N5 and wish them all the best in sealing that Champions League place.

I had fully intended to go to QPR's final home game in the Premier League against Newcastle United today but sadly a close relative is seriously ill and I'd rather go and spend time with them.

That's enough from yours truly, let me know what you've been up to. Also keep the correspondence coming, I enjoy answering your questions and offering advice if I can.

You can contact TLFG through the comments section below or via Facebook or Twitter.

LATEST TICKET NEWS

Each week at TLFG we attempt to compile a list of what's on general sale to non-members at London's Premier League clubs and for other notable matches (click on the team name for details).

ENGLAND

Wednesday 29 May, 8pm - Republic of Ireland, international friendly, Wembley

UEFA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Thursday 23 May, 730pm - Wolfsburg v Lyon, Stamford Bridge

ARSENAL

Nothing currently available

CHELSEA
Monday 13 May, 7pm - Norwich City, FA Youth Cup final second leg

FULHAM
Nothing currently available

QUEENS PARK RANGERS
Nothing currently available

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Monday 13 May, 7pm - Everton, U21 Premier League semi-final
Sunday 19 May, 4pm - Sunderland, Premier League

WEST HAM UNITED

Sunday 19 May, 4pm - Reading, Premier League

SOLD OUT MATCHES/CHEAP TICKETS

Some of the teams listed above also have games coming up which have sold out. Chelsea, Fulham, QPR and West Ham United all allow their fans to re-sell tickets through the viagogo website so there might be some available there. It is also well worth checking the viagogo site for cheap tickets as season-ticket holders often offload tickets for well below face value for the not so popular matches.

OTHER TICKETS

Another great source of tickets for football, stadium tours and other sports and events in London are Ticketmaster. They always sell tickets at face value plus a booking fee.

If you can't get/don't want/can't afford a Premier League ticket then maybe watching a big club's youth/reserve side in action could be for you.

On Monday night (13 May) Chelsea host Norwich City in the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final at Stamford Bridge. The Canaries hold a 1-0 aggregate lead so there's plenty to play for. Tickets are £5 for adults and £3 for concessions but they must be bought in person from the box office by 4pm on the day of the match.

Also on Monday, Tottenham Hotspur take on Everton at White Hart Lane in the U21 Premier League semi-final. Again it's £5 for adults but only £1 for everyone else.

Finally, QPR entertain Huddersfield Town in their Professional Development League play-off final at Loftus Road and Wednesday and ADMISSION IS FREE.

For all of the above, see the match map for dates and kick-off times.

If you're aware of any deals taking place at clubs near you please let me know so I can help to promote them.

Over the next week there isn't a huge amount on in the London area. However, what we do have is significant with the last round of Premier League fixtures, a couple of play-off finals and some lower league title deciders.

Details on all of them can be found in the following match maps. If you've never used them before, please note that when there is more than one match at a specific ground you'll only be able to see individual match pins if you zoom right in. If you don't, the pins obscure each other and you might miss them. To avoid this, you can also scroll down the list of games on the left side of the map page to make sure you get all the information.

MATCH MAP 13-19 MAY

Yellow pin - Monday fixtures

Green pin - Tuesday fixtures

Turquoise pin - Wednesday fixtures

Blue pin - Saturday fixtures
Red pin - Sunday fixtures

View London match map 13-19 May 2013 in a larger map

Sometimes games get postponed so, as always, check with clubs before you travel. If games do get called off, they can sometimes be rearranged for later the same week or the week after so extra matches may get added. Please let me know if any of the details are wrong or missing.

Next up is this week's TLFG match recommendations where I list a few games which I think could be worth a watch. 

TLFG TOP TIPS

Monday 13 May

FA Youth Cup final second leg - Chelsea host Norwich City at Stamford Bridge but it's the Canaries who hold a 1-0 aggregate lead.
Tottenham Hotspur v Everton - U21 Premier League semi-final, winners to face Liverpool or Manchester United.

Tuesday 14 May

Arsenal v Wigan Athletic - hugely significant Premier League game for both sides as the Gunners look to cement a Champions League place and the Latics try to avoid relegation.
Frenford Senior v White Ensign - Level 11/Step 7 club Frenford can still claim the Essex Olympian League title if they win their four games in hand, slipping up here will pretty much end their challenge.

Wednesday 15 May

Queens Park Rangers v Huddersfield Town - QPR's U21s have made it to the Professional Development League play-off final and ADMISSION IS FREE to all at Loftus Road.
South Midlands Senior Floodlit Cup - Oxhey Jets host Cockfosters and should start as favourites.
Broadfields United v Interwood - Level 11/Step 7 club Interwood are once again among the frontrunners in the Middlesex County Football League but they'll have to win their games in hand to come out on top.

Saturday 18 May

League Two play-off final - Bradford City play Northampton Town at Wembley for a place in League One.
Interwood v British Airways - if the hosts beat Broadfields in midweek then this match will become the Middlesex League's title decider. BA are in pole position at the moment and a draw will be enough for them.
Metrogas v Fleet Leisure - over in the Kent County League it's title decider time too. The hosts are currently second, a point behind leaders Hildenborough who have already completed their fixtures. A draw will be enough for Metrogas who have the better goal difference.

Sunday 19 May
Chelsea v Everton - two of the Premier League's top six scrap it out for Champions League/Europa League places. It's also the last game in charge for both clubs' managers.
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland - hugely significant game at either end of the table as Spurs look for a top four finish and the Mackems try and avoid the drop.
West Ham United v Reading - last match of the season for both clubs and neither have anything to play for.

League One play-off final - Brentford and Yeovil Town duel at Wembley for a place in the Championship.

If you have any questions or want advice about watching football in London, you can contact TLFG using the comments section below or via Facebook, Twitter or email.